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The woman wore a pink hanfu, plum blossoms blooming across its fabric. In her hair sat several clips adorned with flowers and jade that chimed softly in the wind. She sat beneath a willow tree by the lake, gazing longingly... Recorded in Immortal Sightings, Chapter Eight, Page Two.
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The group ate with fervor. Before them lay steamed buns, grilled chicken and fish caught fresh from the lake outside, and an array of vegetables, including bamboo shoots and lotus roots. The females of the group were particularly enthusiastic about the inn's signature dish, the Wind Lotus Soup, said to enhance beauty. Most of the group dismissed it as mere folklore, yet Lin Yue devoured it as though she had been starving for three weeks. The warmth of the meal filled their bellies and lifted the spirits.
Wang Lihua sat with the teenagers while Wang Shuren leaned slightly over the counter, his voice calm yet firm. "Innkeeper, has there been any trouble lately? Or perhaps any news from Moondragon City?"
The woman behind the counter, had a round face with bright eyes, she looked to be about 50 years old, with her dark hair which had streaks of silver in them. "Trouble? Not so much. But news? A lot. I've heard that many young geniuses are heading toward Moondragon City. They say the great sects will soon begin their selection again."
She paused for effect, clearly enjoying the attention of her guests. "I even heard names, Bai Yuerong and Bai Hanyue of the Bai Clan, Xie Lingxin and Xie Wuji from the Xie Clan, and Yu Shentong of the Yu Clan. Each one's a prodigy said to have extraordinary talent."
Long Tianyu raised his brows, curiosity flickering in his eyes. "Do you happen to know what cultivation level they're at?"
The innkeeper shook her head. "I wouldn't dare to say for certain, young master. But from what I've heard, geniuses of those clans often reach the Spiritual Meridian Expansion, the seventh stage of body refinement."
The group fell silent for a moment.
Then, almost in unison, Long Tianyu and Xiao Chi stood up and blurted out, "What the hell?! Aren't we amazing?!"
Their voices drew a few startled glances from other tables.
Chen Jie groaned, smacking both of them on the back of the head. "Shush! Keep your voices down!" He hissed, pulling them back to their seats. "Didn't Master Bai already say we don't stand a chance against them?"
Long Tianyu rubbed his head, still grinning. "I say Master Bai doesn't know anything! Like a frog at the bottom of a well!"
''Maybe he thought at our ages we would only reach bone refinement...'' Wang Mei speculated, unsure.
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When the meal ended, everyone drifted toward their rooms. Long Tianyu lingered, calling softly for Hua Qingqing before she could disappear into her room. "Hey, Qingqing, do you want to take a walk outside?"
Hua Qingqing blinked, a faint blush rising across her cheeks. "Mm," she murmured, nodding.
The moon hung high over the lake, its silver light shimmering across the surface like scattered diamonds. A gentle breeze swept in from the water, carrying the crisp scent of lotus and the willow trees. A stone path curved around the lake, winding past weeping willows and patches of wildflowers that bent beneath the night air.
Long Tianyu's long hair was tied neatly with a black ribbon, his white hanfu trimmed in dark blue embroidered with elegant patterns. One of his Shadow Pulse Twinswords rested at his right side. Hua Qingqing wore her favorite pink hanfu, plum blossoms embroidered delicately across the fabric. On her wrist gleamed the golden jade bracelet Long Tianyu had bought for her.
The two walked in silence for a while. The quiet was not awkward, it was comforting for them to be together. Hua Qingqing took a deep breath, her chest rising anxiously. She was the first to speak, her voice soft but tinged with uncertainty.
"Tianyu… do you remember what Song Ming told us?"
Long Tianyu's brows furrowed slightly. "Uhm… yes? No… maybe? I don't know."
Hua Qingqing let out a gentle giggle. "I mean… do you remember when he said we must choose our own path? You… you will most likely go to a sect that favors swords, while I… if there is any sect that uses music, I would love to go there. We… we will be split up." Her words trembled slightly, carrying a quiet sadness that tugged at Long Tianyu's chest.
He looked at her, noting the faint glisten in her eyes. "Mm, of course, Qingqing. You must follow your heart." He turned his gaze toward the moon above the lake.
Hua Qingqing's eyes sparkled as they traced the lines of his handsome face. Her breath caught, and she whispered, "But… you are my heart." She immediately flushed and added hastily, "Joking!" before spinning away and running lightly along the path.
Long Tianyu froze for a moment, stunned by her words. Then a laugh broke from him, warm and genuine, as he chased after her. He grabbed her hand just as she tried to use her qi to pull it away, but as Long Tianyu grabbed it to make her stop, Hua Qingqing's flustered efforts only sent them tumbling together onto the grass beside the path. The cool blades brushed against their faces, yet neither seemed to mind.
They rolled gently in the grass until they lay side by side, fingers intertwined. Long Tianyu's smile was soft. "You are my heart too," he repeated, echoing her words. His grip tightened on her hand. "Don't worry, Qingqing. We might go to different sects, but that doesn't mean we won't meet again."
Her eyes glistened in the moonlight. Their hands remained entwined.
Long Tianyu tilted his head to gaze at the sky. "You know, Qingqing… you are like the moon to me."
A soft breath left her lips. "And you… you're like the sun to me."
He chuckled lightly. "Qingqing… the sun and moon are meant to chase each other. Perhaps… this is our fate."
Her voice dropped to a whisper, fragile yet firm. "And yet, even if we are separated by mountains, sects, and the world itself, the moon still remembers the sun… and the sun… remembers the moon."
Long Tianyu's grin broadened, full of determination. "Right! We are connected forever! Even if heaven itself doesn't want us together, we will break its will. Your melody, my sword, who can stop us?"
Hua Qingqing nodded, a small, sweet smile tugging at her lips. "Mm."
The two lay there in silence for a while, hearts beating. The moon traced its path across the sky, its silver light bathing them in an ethereal glow. Tiny ripples from fish in the lake mirrored the stars above, as if the heavens themselves were keeping watch over their promise.
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End of chapter 2 - The Sun and Moon's Promise